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Timeline

A History of the Department of Genetics and Development

1904

Thomas Hunt Morgan becomes a Professor of Experimental Zoology at Columbia and establishes the world's first Fly Lab, where he studies the inheritance of various mutations.

1910

Morgan shows that genes reside on specific chromosomes.

1969

The Department of Human Genetics and Development is established by the Trustees of Columbia University in the City of New York (without any allocation of funds for hiring faculty or providing laboratory or office space).

1970

Dr. Paul Marks, the founding chairman of the department, is named dean of the College of Physicians and Surgeons.

1970

Dr. Robert Krooth is recruited as chair of the department.

1974

The Training Program in Genetics and Development is established as one of the first predoctoral training programs under the National Institutes of General Medical Science.

1974

Dr. Arthur Bank is named first chair of the Training Committee.

1980

A unique qualifying exam process is developed under the supervision of Dr. Arthur Bank, in which students have to demonstrate they are deeply immersed in a project and can carry out pertinent experiments. (1980-1989)